Photo source: The Daily Mail

Two months ago, my neck froze up, my traps were knotted tightly, my right shoulder would not rotate, and my wrists and hands burned from carpal tunnel tightness.  Daily indulgences in very refined gluten and dairy free versions of bread, chips, and muffins with small cartons of coconut ice cream on the side plus  a dip or two into a very verboten take out box of carne asada fries later, I woke up one morning completely in pain, sick to my stomach and knowing (in a very Gwyneth way – natch) that my body was saying, “This has to stop. Clean it up or keep getting kicked in the ass by your own ass.” A series of physical therapy appointments alternating with acupuncture, modified yoga and barre mix classes, a new prescription vitamin supplement and two sessions with my beloved cognitive behavioral therapist later,  I am on the mend.

Feeling less than normal, it would be very easy to start schlepping around town the way subjects in PEOPLE Magazine do at the gas station and in hypermarket parking lots, but I think that the best way to make yourself feel worse is to look in the mirror and have the sad state of your appearance frowning back at you.  I had to have some basic standards during this crazy period.  My mantra this whole time, “Not In Sweatpants”

Ugh,  I need to walk four blocks holding market bags of bok choy …
Not in Sweatpants

This errand I need to run in the rain …
Not In Sweatpants

I will go makeup free today …
Not in Sweatpants

I’m just going to meet with her really really quickly …
Not In Sweatpants

I am just going to sit and people watch after physical therapy …
Not In Sweatpants

I will hide my under eye circles with sunglasses, and I may be walking around with my shoulders all knotted,  I just won’t do it in sweatpants.  My hair might be undone and I can wear Converse instead of shoes all week, but if I am in sweatpants, it’s like saying I don’t really care about myself, when in fact, though imperfect, I still do.  We all need some limits, and unless I am coming from an actual work out, I can do anything in any mood I am in, just not in sweatpants.